Shutter mechanism for floodlight, with drive

Abstract

The shutter drive mechanism and floodlight has an outer housing which surrounds the light fixture and also which protects the light fixture and a drive mechanism from the elements. Extending outward from the housing is a drive veil which supports the drive mechanism for raising and lowering a rigid shutter which covers the lens of the light fixture so that the light may be doused readily without turning off the lamp. The planar shutter moves horizontally or vertically within rails through a first and second slide, the shutter moveable by a drive arm which is affixed to a runner retained within a runner guide and driven by a screw drive. The shutter is actuatable between an opened and closed position such that the light fixture is adequately doused while the lamp remains on.

1. A shutter drive mechanism for an floodlight, comprising:
 a floodlight housing having first and second parallel rails extending along a front edge portion of said housing; 
 a drive veil extending from said housing wherein a drive arm is linearly moveable; 
 a planar shutter slidably disposed between said rails and connected to said drive arm; 
 a lens affixed to a front surface of said housing and between said housing and said planar shutter; 
 said shutter moving between open and closed positions; 
 said shutter having at least one position substantially inhibiting light emission from said floodlight housing. 
 
   
   
     2. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a visor extending from a front portion of said housing. 
   
   
     3. The shutter drive mechanism  claim 1 , said drive veil extending upwardly from said housing. 
   
   
     4. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , said drive veil having a slot disposed therein extending longitudinally through said drive veil. 
   
   
     5. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , said drive veil having a substantially tear drop shaped cross-section. 
   
   
     6. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , said drive arm extending through a slot in said drive veil. 
   
   
     7. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , said planar shutter extending between first and second slides. 
   
   
     8. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 7 , said first slide and said second slide located within said rails. 
   
   
     9. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , said drive arm being operated by a motor. 
   
   
     10. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 9 , said motor being a ½ horsepower motor. 
   
   
     11. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 9 , further comprising a screw-drive operably connecting said motor and to a runner. 
   
   
     12. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 9 , further comprising a chain drive operably connecting said motor and a runner. 
   
   
     13. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 1 , further comprising a runner guide extending longitudinally through said drive veil and a runner linearly moveable along said runner guide. 
   
   
     14. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 13 , said runner guide further comprising first and second limit switches. 
   
   
     15. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 14 , said first limit switch being an upper limit switch and said second switch being a lower limit switch. 
   
   
     16. A shutter drive mechanism for a floodlight, comprising:
 a floodlight; 
 a housing adjacent said floodlight having a drive mechanism extending from an upper side of said housing; 
 said drive mechanism including a screw-drive extending from said housing; 
 a runner movably connected to said drive mechanism; 
 a drive arm fastened to said runner; 
 said drive arm connected at a distal end to a planar shutter; 
 said planar shutter extending between slides, each of said slides disposed within a rail disposed on a forward portion of said housing; and, 
 a lens fixed between said shutter and said housing; 
 said planar shutter having at least one light blocking position for inhibiting light transmission from said floodlight. 
 
   
   
     17. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , said runner threadably attached to said screw drive for linear movement of said planar shutter. 
   
   
     18. The shutter drive mechanism  claim 16 , said runner disposed between first and second limit switches. 
   
   
     19. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , further comprising a light source behind said lens, said lens attached to a side of said housing. 
   
   
     20. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , further comprising a motor in said housing. 
   
   
     21. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , further comprising a visor extending from a lower portion of said rails. 
   
   
     22. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , said planar shutter movable in a vertical direction. 
   
   
     23. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , said planar shutter movable in a horizontal direction. 
   
   
     24. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 16 , further comprising a drive veil disposed about said drive mechanism. 
   
   
     25. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 24 , said drive veil having a slot therein through which said drive arm extends beyond said drive veil. 
   
   
     26. A shutter drive mechanism, comprising:
 a luminaire housing having a substantially open portion and a lens extending across said open portion; 
 a first rail and a second rail located along corresponding first and second sides of said open portion; 
 a first slide and a second slide disposed within corresponding first and second rails, respectively; 
 a planar shutter extending between said first and second slides and across said lens to substantially inhibit light emission; 
 a drive mechanism extending from said housing including a runner guide having a runner movably attached to said runner guide; 
 a drive arm fastened to said runner at a first end and attached to said planar shutter at a second end. 
 
   
   
     27. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 26 , said rails being vertically oriented. 
   
   
     28. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 25 , said rails being horizontally oriented. 
   
   
     29. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 26 , further comprising a visor extending from said housing. 
   
   
     30. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 26 , said runner guide having upper and lower limit switches defining a range of motion for said runner. 
   
   
     31. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 26 , said housing having a motor disposed therein operably connected to said drive mechanism. 
   
   
     32. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 31 , said motor operably connected to a screw drive, said runner threadably attached to said screw drive. 
   
   
     33. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 26 , further comprising a drive veil covering said drive mechanism. 
   
   
     34. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 33 , said drive veil having a slot extending longitudinally there through. 
   
   
     35. The shutter drive mechanism of  claim 34 , said drive arm extending through said slot.